High Brew Coffee is an American ready-to-drink (RTD) cold brew coffee brand — smooth, low-acid cold-brew coffee sold in grab-and-go cans you keep in the fridge and drink on the go. It was founded in 2014 by David Smith and is based in Austin, Texas, with the idea reportedly landing during a long family sailing trip. Online it is very often searched as one word, "highbrew," but the label reads High Brew Coffee.
This is a factual explainer, not a review or a pitch. Below is what the brand actually is, how the coffee is made, what the range covers, and roughly how much caffeine you are getting — so you know what sits in the can before you reach for one.
What is High Brew Coffee?
High Brew Coffee is a packaged cold-brew coffee brand: real coffee brewed cold, then canned so it is shelf-stable and portable. Instead of brewing a fresh cup, you grab a chilled can. The company describes itself as one of the first RTD cold-brew coffees to reach shelves across the United States, and it rolled out in 2014 before spreading to grocery and convenience stores across the country.
Because the coffee is brewed with time rather than heat (more on that below), the finished drink is designed to taste smoother, bolder and less bitter than hot coffee that has been chilled down. Each standard can is small and concentrated rather than a big milky bottle — the brand uses an 8 fl oz (about 237 ml) can, roughly the size of a standard coffee serving, partly because the caffeine is on the higher side.
A quick origin story
Founder David Smith was already a beverage-industry veteran when he started the brand — he had helped build an iced-tea company that was later acquired by a large food group. The now-repeated origin story is that he and his family took time off to sail, and to stay alert on the water they got into home cold-brewing. They liked the bold, smooth, naturally sweet result enough to turn it into a business back in Austin. Whether or not every detail is polished for marketing, the throughline is real: High Brew grew out of a home cold-brew habit, which is why the whole High Brew Coffee brand is built around the cold-brew method rather than hot coffee in a can.
What makes it "high brew cold brew"?
The defining feature is the brewing method. Cold brew steeps coarsely ground coffee in cool or room-temperature water for many hours — often 12 to 24 — instead of forcing hot water through grounds in seconds. Slow, cold extraction pulls out less of the sharp, acidic and bitter compounds that hot brewing releases, so the cup tends to taste rounder, chocolatey and mellow. That is the whole promise behind "high brew cold brew," and it is the same principle whether it comes from a can or your own kitchen. If you want the mechanics in full, see our explainer on what cold brew coffee is, and the step-by-step in how to make cold brew coffee at home.
To make that cold-brewed coffee last on a shelf, High Brew heat-treats the sealed cans (a retort-style process) so an unopened can stays stable for months at room temperature — you only need to chill it before drinking. That trade-off, shelf life versus a just-brewed batch, is normal for the whole canned cold-brew category and is exactly why the format is so convenient.
The High Brew Coffee range
The lineup is built around flavored and unflavored cold brew, plus a higher-protein option. The exact flavors on shelves shift over time and by region, but the core High Brew Coffee cans have included:
- Black & Bold — unsweetened, dairy-free black cold brew for people who want coffee and caffeine with nothing added.
- Double Espresso — a stronger, more concentrated black option.
- Mexican Vanilla — lightly sweet and creamy, one of the brand's signature flavors.
- Salted Caramel — sweeter and dessert-leaning.
- Dark Chocolate Mocha — chocolate-forward and creamy.
- Creamy Cappuccino — a milky, latte-style profile.
On top of the standard cans, High Brew has offered a + Protein line (for example a Creamy Cappuccino with added milk protein — around 12 g per can) aimed at the gym and breakfast-replacement crowd, and has leaned heavily into a nitro cold brew, sold in a slightly larger 10 fl oz can, for a smoother, foamier texture and a bigger caffeine hit. Availability of the protein and nitro versions varies, so treat them as part of the range rather than a guarantee on every shelf. The sweetened and creamy flavors are, of course, higher in sugar and calories than the plain black can — worth a glance at the label if that matters to you.
High Brew Coffee at a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cold brew coffee |
| Founded | 2014, by David Smith (co-founder of Sweet Leaf Tea) |
| Based in | Austin, Texas, USA |
| How it's brewed | Cold-brewed (steeped cold over time, not with heat), then canned |
| Taste profile | Smooth, bold, low-acid, less bitter than chilled hot coffee |
| Can size | Standard cans about 8 fl oz (237 ml); nitro about 10 fl oz (296 ml) |
| Caffeine | Roughly 130–150 mg per standard can; nitro and triple-shot styles higher (varies by flavor) |
| Range | Black & Bold, Double Espresso, Mexican Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate Mocha, Creamy Cappuccino, plus + Protein and nitro options |
| Shelf life | Shelf-stable unopened; chill before drinking |
| Often searched as | "highbrew," "highbrew coffee," "high brew coffee cans" |
How much caffeine is in a can?
High Brew leans caffeinated. The brand generally puts its standard 8 fl oz cans in the region of 130–150 mg of caffeine each, which it compares to roughly two cups of ordinary hot brewed coffee — a solid pick-me-up from one small can. The nitro and triple-shot styles push higher still. The exact figure varies by flavor (a double-espresso style will sit at the higher end), so read the individual can if you are tracking your intake. As with any coffee, tolerance is personal; if you are caffeine-sensitive, pregnant, or watching your total for the day, that "two cups in one can" framing is the useful thing to remember.
Where High Brew fits in the RTD cold-brew category
High Brew was an early mover in what is now a crowded aisle. Canned and bottled cold brew is one of the fastest-growing corners of coffee, and High Brew now shares the shelf with nitro cans, bottled black cold brew, oat-milk lattes and countless store brands. Its niche is the small, punchy, flavored-or-black can rather than a large milky bottle — convenient caffeine with a cold-brew backbone. To see how it stacks up against its neighbors, browse our bottled cold-brew brands guide, and for the wider world of packaged coffee, our overview of coffee brands.
One quick clarification: the US "High Brew Coffee" cold-brew brand is not the same thing as any similarly named premium instant coffee you might see elsewhere. If it is a chilled can of cold brew from Austin, that is this brand.
How people actually drink it
The format is the whole point. Most people drink High Brew cold, straight from a chilled can — in the car, at a desk, before a workout, or as a fast morning coffee when there is no time to brew. Because the flavored versions are already sweet and creamy, a can doubles as an iced-coffee substitute with no mixing required. You can also pour one over ice, cut it with milk or a splash of your favorite creamer, or use the black version as a base for an at-home iced latte. It is coffee designed for convenience, so there is no wrong way to use a can.
The bottom line
High Brew Coffee is a straightforward idea done at scale: genuinely cold-brewed coffee, canned so it is smooth, portable and shelf-stable, in a handful of black and flavored options with a meaningful caffeine hit. It is not a specialty pour-over experience and it is not trying to be — it is grab-and-go cold brew. If the format appeals but you would rather compare it with the rest of the aisle, or try making a smoother batch in your own kitchen, the cold-brew method and the wider canned-coffee category are both worth a look before you decide what belongs in your fridge.